Display apparatus



' Nov. 5, 1935. w. F. MOORE DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed Aqgf 28. 1954 jINVENTOR.

William [Hoor ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 5, 1935 UNITED- STATES PATENT QFFEQE DISPLAY APPARATUSWilliam F. Moore, Plainfield, N. J.

Application August 28, 1934, Serial No. 741,800

11 Claims.

This invention relates to display devices, and especially to advertisingdevices, more particularly to advertising displays, of the type known assky-signs and adapted to be illuminated by flood-lights or otherlighting means at night, although this does not constitute an essentialfeature of the invention, and I contemplate the utilization of myimprovements in any field for which they are adapted by their nature, asfor example, in game apparatus, and for other uses which will be readilyapparent from my disclosure.

The general object of the invention is to provide a display deviceembodying an upright circular track formed preferably in the innerperipheral wall of a drum-like structure which encloses a considerablenumber of loosely assembled discs or counters which are all free .torearrange themselves, throughout the central cavity of the drum, in aseries of rearrangements only limited in number by the total number ofpermutations and combinations of the counters relatively to each otherand each relatively to each and all of the others.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device revolublearound the axis of the drum and comprising a series of devices,projecting into the drum, and spaced from the track and from each other,in suitable relative positions to engage serially those counters whichat any time occupy a position contiguous to the lower reach of thecircular track in the drum, and to cause peripheral travel of thecounters thus engaged around the track, elevating them progressively toa region where they are free to tumble, under the force of gravity, intothe loosely assembled quantity of the counters at all times occupyingthe drums central cavity, and there to form indiscriminately anindefinite'number of rearrangements.

The above and other features of the invention are illustrated anddescribed fully in the accompanying drawing and specification, and arepointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a display apparatus in theconstruction of' which my in-' In the now-preferred embodiment of theinvention selected for illustration and description, the part designatedby the reference character H is a track element of circular form, shownas constituted by the inner peripheral wall of a 5 drum-like member I2mounted on a base or supporting structure I3, of any suitable material,size and shape, and which in the instance illustrated is intended torepresent anadvertising display sign of the sky type, designed to bemounted on the roof of a building, or other suitable elevated structureI t, Where it can be illuminated by flood-lights IE or by any suitablelighting means adapted to reveal clearly the interior of the drum andits associated parts.

As to size, the track H may, for such a purpose, be ten feet or more indiameter, and the supporting structure may be of adequately sturdyconstruction, with a front mask N5 of sheet metal, in which is formed acircular front opening I! through which the interior of the drum isclearly visible. This front opening may be protected against theweather, dust, etc., by a closure 18, preferably of removable character,as for example a sheet or curtain of transparent material, which servesas the front head of the drum, sliding between the front mask l6 and theforward rim I 9 of the drum, with a close fit that may of itself besufficient to hold the closure in place, as the drum 12 in the instanceillustrated 3 is stationary, although this is not an essential featureof the invention.

In pursuance of the invention the central cavity of the drum is providedwith several discs or counters 2E3, assembled under the force ofgravity, to assume positions in a row contiguous to the lower reach 2!of the track H, those occupying that position being designated, for thesake of convenience, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, etc., while the remainingcounters have similar alphabetical designations.

These designations are illustrative merely and not limitative, and thecounters which also is a designation adapted merely for the sake ofbrevity, may carry any other designation, symbol, legend or device, andmay be of any suitable quantity, material, size, shape and color,according to the intended nature of the display.

In further pursuance of the invention, I provide means to be engagedserially with the counters along the bottom reach of the. track and tocause progressive movement thereof in the direction of the arrow, alongthe track, elevating them successively to a height where they are freeto tumble down into the central cavity 22 of the drum, which ispreferably open across its entire inner extent, to permit the tumblingcounters to rearrange themselves indiscriminately in relative positionsof the greatest possible variety. In fact, such rearrangements are onlylimited in number by all possible permutations and combinations of thetotal number of units contained in the drum, a convenient number being,say, twelve counters, which permits, as is well known, an extraordinarygreat number of such rearrangements.

The progressive actuation above described may be accomplished. by anysuitable means, and as the now-preferred form of such actuating means, Ihave shown an upright disc 23, or rotor, constituting the rear head ofthe drum and provided with a series of horizontal pegs or posts 24,spaced a suitable distance from the track, and at preferably uniformintervals from each other, so as to leave room for easy entrance of oneof the counter discs 20 between each two adjacent pegs of the series,as, for example, the counters A, B, C, D, E, F, L, etc., along the lowerreach of the track and the adjoining upright portion 25 of the track,along which the counters are being elevated progressively by rotarymovement of the disc 23 in operating the apparatus, the pegs 24 beingthus revolved around the axis of the rotor.

Such rotation of the disc 23 may be accomplished by any convenientmeans, and I have shown for this purpose, a shaft 26, journalled at 21in bearings carried by the supporting structure I 3 tive rotationbetween the shaft and disc 3|, and

which is biased into frictional driving engagement with the annulus by acoil spring 33, surrounding the shaft and held up to its work by acollar 34 which may be adjusted on the shaft to regulate the compressivetension of the spring.

The disc 3| has peripheral teeth 35 and forms part of a chain of gearsincluding a gear or pinion 36 on a motor shaft 31, driven by a motor 38.

Suitable means may be provided to control the operation of the motor, asfor example, a switch 39 interposed in the electric circuit 40.

As a further desirable provision for control of the operation of themechanism by which the counters 20 are moved progressively into tumblingposition, I have illustrated one convenient form of automatic means foreffecting an intermittent stoppage of the disc 23 at predeterminedintervals.

For this purpose, the smaller disc 29 on shaft 26 is notched atdiametrically opposite points of its periphery, as at 4|, 42, and adetent or pawl 43 is pivoted at 44 upon the sup-porting structure 45,being biased toward the notched periphery of 1 disc 29 by its ownweight, or by a spring, any desirable form of equivalent stop-memberbeing suitably employed. (See Fig. 3.)

When the detent drops into either of the notches 4| 42, the rotation ofthe post-carrying disc 23 is arrested until a finger 46 on the otherfriction disc 3| is brought into position to raise the detent, and thuspermit resumption of rotation of disc 23 under the cooperatingfrictional action of the friction annulus 30 between the smaller discs29 and 3|.

The space 41 within the annulus 30 may be filled with grease or otherlubricating paste so that the drag on the shaft may not be too greatduring the stops of the rotor, which occur twice during each completeturn of the rotor, or at any other desired interval, according to thenumber and position of the peripheral notches, 4|, 42.

At time of stoppage, it may be desirable to draw the attention ofobservers to particular counters in a selected position, which may, forexample, be at the bottom reach of the track, and for that purpose Ihave illustrated a frame 48 with a plurality of adjacent sight apertures49, 53, adapted to frame and call attention to the counters at thatregion, C and D in the instance shown.

Obviously, there may be any desired modification of the position, shapeand size of such a frame, and in general the apparatus is susceptible ofconsiderable modifications without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

The apparatus is likewise adapted for use in many and diverseapplications. For example, it may be embodied in a set of suitable sizeto be placed upon a table, and used by a group of persons, playing agame.

The controlling switch for the motor may in such cases be equipped withseveral sets 5| of wires each including a push button 52 for convenientmanipulation by one of the players, permitting each player to exercisecontrol of the stopping of the rotor, and where suitable arrangementsare made, the stoppage may serve as a test of comparative skill of theindividual players in determining the counters which are to appear inthe frame above described. I

I have observed an interesting and unpredictable property whichcharacterizes the central member of a group of counters, tumbling in themanner above described, viz., that such a member as that occupying theposition K tends to stay in that position longer than the others, forexample, the counter M which is shown in two positions, one indicated bybroken lines, directly above the counter K, and another position,indicated by full lines, to which that counter rolls promptly on its wayto the later position in contact with the track, like that of thecounter L.

This introduces a variable in the operation of the system that is ofobvious interest from a display standpoint, and also when the apparatusis used as a game.

Fig. 4 illustrates a structural feature which may be used to advantagewhen it is desired to have the symbols on the counters appear in more orless upright position, regardless of their position with relation toeach other.

As shown in Fig. 4, the counter 20a is of cupshape and is provided witha face disc 54, mounted pivotally upon a central post 55, to which it issecured loosely, as by a cap-screw 56. The disc has on its rear surfacea small weight 51, which biases the disc toward an upright position, theeffect being to cause a somewhat oscillatory movement of the disc as thecounter rolls around from position to position. Thus the symbol on theface of the disc, while always easily legible, has a tendency to swingto and fro sufficiently to attract attention.

I claim:-

1. In an apparatus of the class described a support, an upright trackmember mounted on said support and embodying an inwardly directedannular track surrounding a drum-like chamber, several countersassembled loosely in said chamber and free toassumethereinanindefiniteseries of different positions relatively toeach other in an upright plane, a series of members projecting withinsaid drum, spaced at intervals from each other around said track and ata predetermined distance therefrom, said members being adapted to berevolved around the axis of the drum in a path near said track to engagesuccessively these counters occupying at any time positions upon thelower reach of said track and to cause the latter counters to progressupward around the track to an upper reach from which the counters arefree to fall by gravity into the central cavity of the drum, said cavitybeing substantially uninterrupted throughout its area to permit free,indiscriminate rearrangements of said counters in the maximum possiblenumber of relative combinations therebetween at said lower reach of thetrack.

2. An apparatus combining the elements set forth and cooperating as inclaim 1 and further characterized by an opening in said drum to permitsaid operations to be visualized in their entirety, and observed clearlyfrom a distance.

3. An apparatus combining the elements set forth and cooperating as inclaim 1 and further characterized by a front closure for said drum,apertured to permit said operations to be visualized in their entirety,and observed clearly from a distance.

4. An apparatus combining the elements set forth and cooperating as inclaim 1 andfurther characterized by a removable transparent frontclosure for said drum, and means to illuminate the interior of saiddrum, and the faces of said counters.

5. An apparatus of the c1ass described combining the elements set forthand cooperating as in claim 1 and further characterized by having saidprojecting members formed upon a rotor mounted to rotate independentlyof said track, and means to drive said rotor.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which said revoluble members arecarried by a disc mounted upon a shaft journalled in bearings carried bythe supporting structure and provided with a friction disc fixed uponsaid shaft; a sleeve mounted upon, and rotatable relatively to saidfriction disc and adapted to drive said disc frictionally; means torotate said sleeve; and means to arrest said friction disc atpredetermined times, while permitting continued rotation of saidactuating sleeve and its associated parts relatively to said frictiondisc and shaft.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 and further characterized by theprovision of a rotor to support and actuate said projecting members; apair of discs co-operating frictionally to drive said rotor; a motor todrive said friction discs, and means to control the operation of saidmotor.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 and further characterized by theprovision of a rotor to support and actuate said projecting members; apair of discs co-operating frictionally to drive said rotor; a motor todrive said friction discs, and means to permit manual control of theoperation of said motor.

9. A rotatable, revoluble counter for an apparatus of the classdescribed, said counter comprising a discoidal member having mountedthereon rotatably a display part provided with a weight adapted to biassaid part to a predetermined upright position regardless of the varyingpositions of rotation and revolution assumed by said discoidal member.

10. A rotatable, revoluble counter for an apparatus of the classdescribed, said counter comprising a cup-shaped member having mountedaxially therein a rotatable part provided with means adapted to biassaid part to a predetermined angular rotative position relatively tosaid cup-shaped member regardless of the varying positions of rotationand revolution assumed by said cup-shaped member.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, a multiplicity of rotatableand revoluble counters and means to cause said counters to assumevarying positions of rotation and revolution relatively to each other,certain of said counters being characterized by face discs mountedrotatably upon said counters and adapted to carry display matter, saidrotatable face discs having means to bias said discs to predeterminedrotative positions relatively to other discs during changes in thepositions of revolution of said counters about a common axis ofrevolution.

WILLIAM F. MOORE.

